hi everyone<br>It's been ages since I've been able to post here as I kept having trouble registering. Finally, I have succeeded!<br>I'm now 22 weeks preg with a single baby, due Jan 18th - still seems quite a while off until I look down and see my huge bump. I feel like I have a massive growth spurt every week. I have been offered a seat (and taken it, of course) every day on the tube this week so I guess it must be very obvious. I reckon people look at me and think I'm about 8 months preg!<br>I feel really well, and quite energetic at the moment. Enjoying every minute of being pregnant. I think after treatment pregnancy just feels so special and lucky (if you feel well, anyway). I also feel very mellow which I reckon must be all that progesterone - I don't get stressed about work anymore and I just float around all the time. Am very clumsy, drop food down my front and drop things on the floor all the time - does anyone else have this?<br>I'm swimming once or twice a week and have started antenatal yoga - so far it seems like you pay a lot of money just to sit and then sleep on the floor and sip some herbal tea, but it's very relaxing! Also people from the class who have dropped bring their babies in and tell their birth story which is a bit of a shock. Not because the birth sounds so bad but because there's this live little human and it makes you realise for real what this pregnancy thing is all about!<br>Anyway, it's good to catch up on all of you who I knew from before, and I wonder what has happened to Sally, if she is also having trouble logging on or if she's had the babies yet. <br>Sarah, good to hear you're still holding them in there - not long for you and Dee now! Sandra - congratulations on your scan result, that is so brilliant and I really wish everything to go smoothly from now on, you have had such a rough ride in the past. Wendy from France - I remember you from ages ago - great to hear you're over here now (on this side of the site, I mean). Loonpants/Adoptive Auntie - welcome back to green wet England!<br>love Miriam xx

Hi Miriam,<br><br>Lovely to hear from you, glad that you're well. Are you feeling much movement yet?<br><br> Yes, I spend most of my time now with a gingham pinny that was my Grandma's on; it now won't do up round the back, but is essential, as everything goes down my front. I can't fit under the dining table, so meals are on a tray on the sofa. I've got really clumsy too (I seem to recall there is a valid medical reason for this during pg), and Bob spends most of his time picking things up off the floor for me. Peeling potatoes is hilarious - because I can't get close to the worktop, most peelings end up on the floor!<br><br>The yoga sounds like an relaxing dream; I've not done any type of exercise, I was too scared to in the early months, and then ended up too big, tired and generally unwilling to start. Can't fit behind the wheel now, so am dependent on parents, inlaws and local taxi firm to get me places. But, I hardly go anywhere without a lot of planning as I get v tired now. I start NCT classes this week, and spent most of the weekend wiring up the nursery (got an electrician in for the bits that involved clambering about in the loft, but wasn't going to fork out for someone to do a bit of basic sparking). Can't believe that our spare room (which used to be Grandma's - all country garden kinda feel) is now looking like the 'after' of a makeover. We've even got some glowing stars on the ceiling!<br><br>Am starting to plan what else we need to buy; pushchair was a tough choice, and car seats were difficult as we needed to find ones that would fit in either side of the back seat - it's amazing how badly some fitted. Tomorrow is cot research day. Have been knitting, which seems to keep the puffyness out of my hands. Stretch marks are horrid, horrid, horrid, but rubbing in gallons of cream. <br><br>I'm also wondering about Sally, I know that she has registered on this new board, but it's a couple of weeks until she was scheduled for a caesar, so I do hope all's OK. I'll probably beat Dee by a few weeks - we have similar official dates, but I won't get to the full 40 weeks. <br><br>And then it will be Christmas, and then it will be you, and Chris, and Mrs Wales and Wendy and Sandra and how exciting is all is! It's amazing that I've 'known' some of these women for nearly a year now - I just wish that a few more of my cycle buddies were over here too. I'm also getting worried (I'm physically relaxed, but fret about everything) that we'll all lose touch when the babies arrive - I was even wondering the other day if it's the 'done' thing to invite you all to the Christenings (yes, I know I'm counting unhatched chickens etc)... talking of hatching - we've got two budgies who were both supposed to be female, one of them's quite old, the vet described her as 'post-menopausal' - they've been f***ing like billio lately, and have laid a clutch of eggs. The question is who's going to become parents first - us or the birdies!!!<br><br>Long post, I know, sorry for rambling, but you know what I'm like. <br><br>If you don't hear from me on the site for a while, feel free to drop me an e-mail, Bob's been trained to check my in-box if I'm incapacitated. Sarah_Rowe@lineone.net<br><br>Regards,<br><br>Sarah <br><br>

Hi Miriam<br><br>I am just being my normal nosey self and having a read of all your goings on. I can't believe that the end of this year and the beginning of next will be so busy for the stork. Time has flown by.<br>I am so excited about all the pending births.<br><br>Don't forget to take it easy and remember I am thinking of you.<br><br>Lisa (Loonpants)<br>xx